Bag hanger



y 8, 1964 J. M. HElGL 3,142,436

BAG HANGER Filed Sept. 12, 1962 INVENTOR. M W M, & %%n, y W,

dag/'4 United States Patent 3,142,436 BAG HANGER .l'oseph M. Heigi, GlenEllyn, Ill., assignor to Rotogravure Packaging, Inc., Addison, 111., acorporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 223,025 Claims.(Cl. 229-62) The present invention relates to a bag and to a bag hanger,and more particularly to a bag and bag hanger for a bag of the typegenerally used for prepackaged merchandise, such as luncheon meats andthe like.

It has been demonstrated that luncheon meats, which are normallyprepackaged in saran, polyethylene, and similar transparent packagingmaterial, are sold much better if vertically displayed in arefrigerating unit rather than if set on a refrigerated shelf in theunit. Such a vertical display device generally includes rods or supportsprojecting from a vertical wall. The prepackaged meat is hung from therods in order to support the meats. Heretofore, hooks have sometimesbeen employed to hook the meat to such rods. However, this was foundunsatisfactory because the packages wilted. Attempts have also been madeto provide a hole through the package but such a hole through thepackage has been unsatisfactory in that it required front loading of thepackages on the rods and as the loading of prepackaged meats isfrequently done by the butchers, it has been found unsatisfactory tohave the butchers load the racks from the front since their aprons andother garments are frequently stained with blood and the like. Moreover,in order to load the rods from the front, it was necessary either toremove all of the packages on the rods to place the new packages at therear of the rods, or, alternately, to place the new packages in front ofthe older packages on the rod. This latter is, of course, undesirablesince it is preferable to sell the oldest packaged merchandise first.Accordingly, it is desirable that prepackaged merchandise, such asluncheon meat, be loadable on display rods from the rear of the rods.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved bag and bag hanger which overcomes the aforementioneddifiiculties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedbag and bag holder which provides for the bag to be loaded onto adisplay rod other than from the front of the rod.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved bagand an improved bag holder of the type suitable for supportingprepackaged merchandise.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds and the features ofnovelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisspecification.

In accordance with these and other objects, there is provided animproved bag hanger for packages of prepackaged merchandise and the likeformed of a sheet of foldable material, such as paperboard. The foldablematerial is provided with a score line extending thereacrossintermediate its ends to form a junction or fold line for the sheetproviding a pair of panels hinged together at the junction line andfoldable to position an article therebetween. The sheet of foldablematerial is provided with a pair of openings aligned on a perpendicularwith the score line and equidistant therefrom so that when the sheet isfolded along the score line the openings are axially aligned to form asingle opening in the folded sheet. Moreover, a zig-zag or Z-shaped slitinterconnects the openings and includes interconnected sections whicheccentrically intersect respective ones of the cut-out portions of thesheet to define oppositely directed hook-shaped portions adapted3,142,436 Patented July 28, 1964 ICC to engage a supporting rodreceivable in the openings through the slit. Adhesive coating isprovided on the inside of the sheet with an area generallycircumscribing the openings and the slit being free of adhesive coatingso as not to interfere with the movement of a supporting rod through theslit.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, it alsoincludes a package of prepackaged merchandise including a sealed plasticbag containing the merchandise and having its open end folded overitself. The improved bag hanger is folded over the open end of the bagand is adhesively connected thereto.

It will be appreciated that, in accordance with the present invention, abag provided with the improved bag hanger according to the presentinvention may readily be inserted on the rear of a display rod bypassing the rod through the slit in the sheet of foldable material sothat the rod projects through the opening in the hanger. The resiliencyof the sheet is sufficient to permit the passage of the rod through theslit and the sheet will thereafter snap back to its original positionhooking the hanger over the rod. The spaced eccentric intersection ofthe slit with the openings of the hanger provides positive overlappinghooks engageable with the rod securely to support the bag from the rod.Moreover, by providing the means for fastening the bag to the rear ofthe rod, the oldest merchandise is always presented at the front of therod where it may conveniently be picked up by the purchaser. Moreover,the rods may be loaded from the rear as, for example, by a butcher inthe meat department of a supermarket without requiring the removal ofthe existing supply of packaged merchandise from the rod.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bag of prepackaged merchandiseincluding the improved bag hanger according to the present invention andillustrated on a display rack;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 22 ofFIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an unfolded plan View of the improved bag hanger according tothe present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a package10 hanging vertically from a display rod 11 of a display rack (notshown). The package 10 is of the type enclosing prepackaged merchandisesuch as luncheon meat in the meat department of a supermarket and tothis end includes a sealed foldable bag 14, illustrated as transparent,hanging from a bag hanger 15. The packaged merchandise 16, here shown assliced luncheon meat, is preferably visible through the transparent bag14. As is well known in the packaging of such merchandise, the bag 14may be made of any suitable material such as saran, polyethylene, andthe like. Moreover, it is common practice to vacuum-pack certainmerchandise, such as luncheon meat, to remove substantially all of theoxygen and thereafter to include a concentration of nitrogen Within thebag 14 to aid in preventing deterioration of the prepackagedmerchandise. Accordingly, the upper open end is folded over itself, asindicated at 14a. The folded over portion 14a of the bag is preferablysealed to the atmosphere by heat-sealing or some other suitable method.

In order to support the bag 14 from the rod 11, the bag hanger 15, bestillustrated in FIG. 3, is connected to the bag. This bag holder orhanger 15 may be of small or large area. Preferably it is of large areaso suitable advertising material and other information may be appliedthereto. The bag holder is formed of a generally rectangular sheet 17(FIG. 3) of foldable material which in the illustrated embodimentincludes a lamination of aluminum foil 18 secured to a laminated sheetof paperboard 19. To provide for folding, the sheet 15 is scored with a3 score line 20 (FIG. 3) on the paperboard side of the sheet 17intermediate its ends to form a juncture or fold line 21 of the sheet asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and forming a pair of panels 17a and 17bhinged along the fold line 21.

In order to provide means for fastening the hanger onto the rod 11, thesheet 17 is provided with a pair of spaced openings or cut-out portions22, here illustrated as pear-shaped and aligned on a perpendicular withthe score line and equidistant therefrom, with the narrow ends of thecut-out portions 22 extending toward the score line 20 so that when thesheet is folded along the score line 20, the openings or cut-outportions 22 are axially aligned to form a single pear-shaped opening,best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, extending through the foldedmaterial.

To provide for hanging the package 10 on the rod 11 from the rear of therod, the sheet 17 is additionally provided with a zig-zag or Z-shapedslit extending therethrough and interconnecting the cut-out portions 22.The Z-shaped slit 25 includes spaced parallel portions 25a (FIG. 3)perpendicular to the score line 20. Each of these portions 25aterminates at the outside of the associated cut-out 22 and issubstantially tangential thereto thereby to form overlapping hookportions in the sheet 17 when the hanger is folded as shown in FIGS. 1and 2. Additionally, a portion 25b of the slit 25 interconnects thespaced portions 25a thereof and extends along the score line 20 toprovide for the insertion of the rod 11 between the folded layers of thebag hanger 15 and into the openings 22 wherein the edges of the openings22 form hook-shaped members 23 engaging over the upper surface of therod 11 to secure the hanger 17 and associated package 14 to the rod 11.

In order to attach the hanger 15 to the bag 14, the paperboard side ofthe sheet is coated with a suitable adhesive coating 29, which may be ofthe well-known heat-sensitive or other suitable type. The bag hanger 15can then be inserted in folded relation overlapping a portion of thefolded-over part 14a of the bag 14 and adhesively secured thereto. Toprovide for the insertion of the rod 11 into the openings 22 through theZ-shaped slit 25, an area indicated in phantom as in FIG. 3 andgenerally circumscribing the openings 22 and the Z-shaped slit 25, iskept free of the adhesive coating.

It will be seen that a bag hanger as described above is advantageous inpermitting packages of prepackaged merchandise and the like to be hungvertically from the back end of a generally horizontally extending rodin a display case without the necessity of removing the packages alreadyhanging on the rod, and, additionally, without requiring the personhanging the bag to be exposed to the viewing customers.

It should also be understood that instead of the zig-zag or Z-shapedslit 25, a straight line slit connecting the same sides of the openings22, as viewed in FIG. 3, may be employed which slit would beperpendicular to the score or fold line 20. Also, a straight line slitinter connecting opposite sides of openings 22, as viewed in FIG. 3,might be employed.

It should be understood that the hangers 15 may be stamped from largesheets simultaneously providing the slit 25 and openings 22. Moreover,the adhesive coating may be applied to large sheets with a suitablepattern so the areas 30 remain uncoated. When the hanger 15 isadhesively secured to the package 14, it provides a very secure hanger.

Although the present invention has been described by reference to only asingle embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that numerous othermodifications and embodiments may be devised by those skilled in theart, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all suchmodifications and embodiments which will fall within the true spirit andscope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A hanger for supporting an article comprising, a

pair of panels hinged together along a juncture line and foldable to aholding position wherein adjacent sides of said panels are insubstantially parallel relationship to receive an article therebetween,said adjacent sides of said panels being provided with an adhesivecoating whereby said panels may be adhesively secured to the articledisposed therebetween, means defining an opening in each of said panels,said openings being aligned when said panels are in said holdingposition, a zig-zag slit interconnecting the opposite sides of saidopenings with the intermediate portion of said slit coincident with thefold between said panels, said slit and openings defining oppositelydirected hook-shaped portions, said hook-shaped portions being adaptedto engage a supporting rod receivable in said openings by insertionthrough said slit.

2. The hanger of claim 1 wherein said panels comprise laminatedmaterial.

3. A hanger for supporting an article comprising, a pair of panelshinged together along a juncture line and foldable to position anarticle therebetween, means defining an opening in each of said panels,said openings being aligned when an article is secured between saidpanels, a zig-zag slit interconnecting the opposite sides of saidopenings with the intermediate portion of said slit falling on the foldbetween said panels, said slit and openings defining oppositely directedhook-shaped portions, said hook-shaped portions being adapted to engagea supporting rod receivable in said openings by insertion through saidslit, and an adhesive coating on the adjacent sides of said panelswhereby said panels may be adhesively secured to said article, a smallarea on said adjacent sides surrounding said slit and openings beingfree of adhesive so as not to interfere with the movement of asupporting rod through said slit.

4. A hanger adapted to be secured to an article for supporting thelatter from a rodlike support comprising, a sheet of foldable material,said sheet being provided with a pair of spaced openings, a somewhatZ-shaped slit interconnecting said openings with the intermediate leg ofsaid 2 being disposed so that when said sheet is folded to cause theopenings to be axially aligned said intermediate leg is coincident withthe fold line, the end legs of said Z each being substantiallyperpendicular to said intermediate leg and substantially tangential withthe adjacent one of said openings thereby to define hookshaped portionsterminating at the ends of said slit remote from said intermediate leg,and securing means associated with said hanger whereby said hanger maybe used to support an article from a rodlike support.

5. The hanger of claim 4 wherein said openings are pear shaped and thenarrow ends thereof are adjacent when the sheet is unfolded.

6. A hanger for packages of prepackaged merchandise and the likecomprising a sheet of foldable material having a fold extendingthereacross intermediate its ends, said sheet being provided with a pairof complementary pear-shaped openings aligned on a perpendicular withsaid fold and equidistant therefrom with the narrow end of said openingsextending toward said fold so that when said sheet is folded along saidfold said openings are axially aligned to form a single pear-shapedopening through said folded material, said sheet being provided with aslit interconnecting said openings and including spaced parallelsections perpendicular to said fold intersecting respective ones of saidopenings at opposite side edges thereof to form overlapping hook-shapedportions in said sheet, said slit including an additional sectioninterconnecting said spaced sections along said fold, and an adhesivecoating provided over the entire area of one side of said sheet exceptfor a small area generally circumscribing said openings and said slit.

7. The hanger of claim 6 wherein a score line is provided in said sheetand said fold is along said score line.

8. A hanger for supporting an article comprising a pair of panels hingedtogether along a score line and foldable to position an articletherebetween, a portion of the adjacent sides of said panels beingprovided with an adhesive coating whereby said panels may be adhesivelysecured to said article, means defining an opening in each of saidpanels, said openings being aligned when an article is secured betweensaid panels, a three-section slit interconnecting the opposite sides ofsaid openings, one section of said slit being coincident with said scoreline, the other two sections comprising spaced parallel slit portionsperpendicular with said one section and each interconnecting said onesection with a diiferent one of said openings, said slit and saidopenings defining oppositely directed hook-shaped portions.

9. A package of prepackaged merchandise including a transparent bag forholding merchandise in a sealed manner and having its open end foldedover itself, a hanger for said bag formed of a sheet of foldablematerial folded along a line intermediate its ends to define a pair ofhinged panels receiving a portion of the folded-over open end of saidbag therebetween, each of said panels being provided with an openingaligned on a perpendicular with said line and equidistant therefrom toprovide axially aligned openings forming a single passageway throughsaid panels, a slit interconnecting said openings and including parallelspaced sections perpendicular to said line intersecting respective onesof said openings at opposite edges thereof to form hook-shaped portionsin said sheet, said slit including an additional section interconnectingsaid spaced sections along said line, and an adhesive coating on theadjacent sides of said panels adhesively se- 6 curing said hanger tosaid bag, an area on each of said adjacent sides of said panelsgenerally circumscribing said openings and said slit being free of saidcoating.

10. A hanger for supporting an article comprising, a pair of panelshinged together along a juncture line and foldable to a holding positionwherein adjacent sides of said panels are in substantially parallelrelationship to receive an article therebetween, said adjacent sides ofsaid panels being provided with an adhesive coating whereby said panelsmay be adhesively secured to said article, means defining an opening ineach of said panels, said openings being aligned when said panels are insaid holding position and an article is secured between said panels, aslit interconnecting the sides of said openings, said slit and openingsdefining hook-shaped portions, said hook-shaped portions being adaptedto engage a supporting rod receivable in said openings by insertionthrough said slit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS732,828 Christopher July 7, 1903 1,202,986 Fogg Oct. 31, 1916 1,644,963Ulich et a1 Oct. 11, 1927 2,188,039 Farmer Jan. 23, 1940 2,355,786Dreher et a1 Aug. 15, 1944 2,660,296 Dunning Nov. 24, 1953 2,788,121Ayres Apr. 9, 1957 2,983,087 Schofield May 9, 1961 3,066,665 Reilly Dec.4, 1962

9. A PACKAGE OF PREPACKAGED MERCHANDISE INCLUDING A TRANSPARENT BAG FORHOLDING MERCHANDISE IN A SEALED MANNER AND HAVING ITS OPEN END FOLDEDOVER ITSELF, A HANGER FOR SAID BAG FORMED OF A SHEET OF FOLDABLEMATERIAL FOLDED ALONG A LINE INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO DEFINE A PAIR OFHINGED PANELS RECEIVING A PORTION OF THE FOLDED-OVER OPEN END OF SAIDBAG THEREBETWEEN, EACH OF SAID PANELS BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENINGALIGNED ON A PERPENDICULAR WITH SAID LINE AND EQUIDISTANT THEREFROM TOPROVIDE AXIALLY ALIGNED OPENINGS FORMING A SINGLE PASSAGEWAY THROUGHSAID PANELS, A SLIT INTERCONNECTING SAID OPENINGS AND INCLUDING PARALLELSPACED SECTIONS PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LINE INTERSECTING RESPECTIVE ONESOF SAID OPENINGS AT OPPOSITE EDGES THEREOF TO FORM HOOK-SHAPED PORTIONSIN SAID SHEET,